FERC issues final supplemental EIS for Texas LNG, Rio Grande LNG projects

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued two separate final supplemental environmental impact statements (EIS) on July 31 – for the Texas LNG and the Rio Grande LNG projects, both located in Brownsville, Texas.

The documents were issued in response to concerns raised by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last year. The court initially voided the FERC authorisations to construct both the Texas LNG and Rio Grande LNG projects in August 2024 but subsequently reinstated them in March this year by amending its initial ruling.

The FERC was still required to carry out supplemental reviews for the projects, however, and this has now been completed. In issuing the supplemental EIS for each project, FERC staff said they had found that there would be impacts on communities near the projects, but that the projects’ approval would result in “less than significant” impacts if the conditions set out in prior authorisations and additional mitigation measures were implemented.

The release of the supplemental EIS for each project paves the way for the FERC to issue its final authorisation for the construction of each project. Both of these authorisations are anticipated in November.

This comes as Rio Grande LNG’s operator, NextDecade, is already proceeding with construction of the terminal, having taken a final investment decision (FID) on the first phase of the facility in 2023. The first phase consists of three liquefaction trains, with a combined capacity of 17.6mn tonnes per year (tpy) of LNG. The entire project will have five trains and a total capacity of 27mn tpy.

Texas LNG, for its part, would have a capacity of 4mn tpy. The project’s owner, Glenfarne Group, reiterated previous guidance that an FID on the project was being targeted before the end of 2025.

“The FERC final supplemental EIS for Texas LNG strengthens an already robust record of federal analysis and support and confirms the basis for the existing authorisation for this project,” stated Glenfarne’s CEO and founder, Brendan Duval. “Texas LNG’s ‘green by design’ strategy uses electric motor drives to power the facility, making it one of the lowest-emitting liquefaction facilities in the world.”